Overview of Orange
Orange S.A. (formerly France Telecom) is the largest telecom operator in France and a major communication service provider in Europe and Africa. Orange operates in 26 countries and regions worldwide, with over 290 million users. It is a market leader in several European countries including France, Spain, Poland, and Belgium, and has over 140 million users in Africa.
Orange's IoT work centres on Live Objects (Datavenue), a connection-management platform. Orange is a member of the LoRa Alliance, runs a nationwide LoRa network in France, and is also deploying NB-IoT and LTE-M.
Orange facts
- Founded: 1994 (France Telecom)
- Headquarters: Paris, France
- Users: more than 290 million
- Footprint: 26 countries and regions
- Radio access: 4G LTE, 5G NR, NB-IoT, LTE-M, LoRa
- Africa brand: Orange Africa (formerly Sonatel and others)
Core technical capabilities
Multi-network IoT platform
Live Objects accepts LoRa, NB-IoT, and LTE-M
Lower-carbon network
A carbon-neutrality target for 2040, and IoT that helps customers cut emissions
Orange Cyberdefense
One of Europe's largest cybersecurity providers, including security for IoT
Mobile money
Orange Money payments in Africa, including IoT payment uses
IoT products
IoT platform services
Live Objects (Datavenue)
- Multi-protocol device access
- Data storage and analysis
- Rules engine and alerts
- Open APIs
Orange Business IoT
- Enterprise IoT consulting
- Global SIM connection management
- Industry-specific solutions
- End-to-end IoT integration
Network standards and coverage
| Technology | Coverage | Uses | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4G LTE | Many countries in Europe and Africa | Primary IoT connectivity | Main network |
| LoRa | Nationwide in France; parts of Europe | Smart-city sensors | Being expanded |
| NB-IoT | Several European countries | Meter reading | In commercial service |
| LTE-M | Some European countries | Mobile IoT devices | Expanding in stages |
| 5G NR | Major cities in France | Industrial 5G private networks | Under construction |
Industry Solutions
Energy and utilities
- AMI smart meters
- Solar generation monitoring
- Energy-use optimization
- EV charging management
Smart city
- Smart parking
- Waste-collection routing
- Public lighting control
- Environmental monitoring
Industry and manufacturing
- Asset tracking
- Production monitoring
- Predictive maintenance
- Worker safety
Agriculture and food
- Precision vineyard management
- Food cold-chain tracking
- Livestock health monitoring
- Automated irrigation
Competitive advantages
- Europe and Africa: Large networks in both regions
- LoRa: A nationwide LoRa network in France and long LPWA experience
- Security: Orange Cyberdefense provides IoT security in Europe
- Enterprise: Orange Business Services offers ICT for companies worldwide
- Lower-carbon IoT: IoT work tied to sustainability targets
History and milestones
Orange's predecessor was France Télécom, established in 1988, and listed on the Paris and New York Stock Exchanges in 1997. In 2006, the company unified its Orange brand (originally a British telecom operator acquired in 2000) under the group brand, and in 2013 officially changed the company name from "France Télécom" to "Orange S.A.". Orange's presence in Africa began in the early 2000s, gradually entering multiple African countries such as Senegal, Mali, and Madagascar through acquisitions and partnerships, becoming a key driver of Africa's digital connectivity.
On IoT, Orange finished a nationwide LoRa network in France in 2016 and launched commercial NB-IoT in several European countries in 2017. It released Live Objects (Datavenue) 2.0 in 2019 and commercial 5G in 2020. In 2021 it set up Orange Cyberdefense as a separate cybersecurity company for European IoT customers. In 2023 Orange Money in Africa passed 100 million users, which is the base for digital-finance IoT in those markets.
Live Objects
Live Objects (formerly Datavenue) is Orange's platform for IoT connection management and data processing. It accepts LoRa, NB-IoT, LTE-M, and MQTT, so different device types can be managed together. A device twin stores the latest state of each device. Rules can trigger events and automated responses, and the platform includes visualisation and analysis. A REST API connects IoT data to enterprise systems such as SAP and Salesforce.
Support
Orange Business
- Enterprise IoT consulting worldwide
- 24×7 technical support
- Solution architects
- On-site implementation
Security
- Orange Cyberdefense
- IoT vulnerability assessment
- Device hardening
- Security operations centre
Sustainability
- Lower-carbon IoT design
- IoT for emissions monitoring
- Network changes that cut energy use
- Support for ESG reporting